US 12,255,282 B2
Lithium metal recovery and synthesis
Patricia Anne Ignacio de Leon, Westmont, IL (US); John N. Hryn, Hawthorn Woods, IL (US); Li Tang, Bolingbrook, IL (US); Edward F. Barry, Chicago, IL (US); and Daniel Yoav Arenas, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/690,835.
Application 17/690,835 is a division of application No. 16/145,364, filed on Sep. 28, 2018, granted, now 11,296,354.
Prior Publication US 2022/0200042 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. C25C 1/00 (2006.01); C25C 1/02 (2006.01); H01M 10/052 (2010.01); H01M 10/0561 (2010.01); C22B 26/12 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 10/0561 (2013.01) [C25C 1/02 (2013.01); H01M 10/052 (2013.01); C22B 26/12 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing a lithium metal from a lithium-metal alloy feedstock, the method comprising:
removing the lithium-metal alloy feedstock from a battery, the lithium-metal alloy feedstock comprising a cathode material or an anode material;
placing the lithium-metal alloy feedstock in a porous anode container, the lithium-metal alloy selected from a group consisting of lithium-aluminum (Li—Al), lithium-tin (Li—Sn), lithium-antimony (Li—Sb), lithium-bismuth (Li—Bi), lithium-silicon (Li—Si), lithium-gold (Li—Au), lithium-mercury (Li—Hg), lithium-thallium (Li—Tl), lithium lead (Li—Pb), lithium-aluminum-copper (Li—Al—Cu), lithium tin oxide, lithium iron oxide (LFP), lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium copper oxide, lithium chromium oxides, and lithium manganese oxides;
contacting the lithium-metal alloy feedstock with electrolyte, forming a cell comprising the anode, lithium feedstock, and a cathode in communication with a galvanostat source;
applying a current to an electrolytic cell;
flowing electrons from the anode to the cathode;
reducing lithium cations at the cathode; and
depositing lithium metal on the cathode;
wherein the electrolyte comprises a lithium salt dissolved in an organic solvent.